As a child, one of my fondest memories was a road trip I took with my family to Silver Dollar City, Missouri. Although my parent’s Toyota Camry was crammed packed with suitcases and snacks, I will always remember sights and sounds of the road. And since then, I’ve always had a special spot in my heart for road trips.
With the hassle and sky-high prices associated with flying, this summer may be the perfect time to embark on a road trip with your family. While the cost of flying may limit your ultimate vacation destination, road tripping presents an endless number of options. In addition to your final road trip destination, you can also explore local restaurants and mom and pop stores in the towns you drive through.
With more than 35,000 towns and cities throughout the United States, there are endless possibilities for your road trip. So to make your life easier, I will be recommending five locations for each geographical region of the United States in upcoming Vehicle Vibes articles.
But before you start planning, here are four tips for choosing the perfect location for your road trip:
1. Hit the Books (or the Internet)
There are a plethora of websites and books available on America’s historic scenic routes, beyond the well-traveled Route 66. The more resources you peruse the more options you will have the more likely your family will find an ideal location that everyone will enjoy. Must-read sites and include: Reader’s Digest “The Most Scenic Drives in America,” ByWays.org, and RoadtripAmerica.com.
2. Ask Around
While consulting books and travel websites offer a lot of great information and suggestions, often the best way to find the road trip route or vacation spot is to ask your friends and colleagues that share similar interests. You might be thinking road tripping to a nearby cave, but your friends may be able to share some advice or information, not available elsewhere that makes you reconsider your location. So ask around, you never know what you might discover.
3. Consult the Family
If you’ve been charged with the task of arranging all of the logistics of your family vacation, it is always best to make sure everyone on the trip is happy with the location you’ve chosen. Ask all attendees for suggestions, ideas and most importantly, what they do and do not want to do so you can prevent any conflicts before they occur.
4. Consider special needs or interests
Even if the rest of your family enjoys hiking and the great outdoors, if one member of your party is uncomfortable sleeping in a tent and has expressed their aversion to nature, it may not be the best idea to plan a road trip to a camping site. At the very least, make sure the location you choose offers an activity or opportunity for everyone in your party to enjoy themselves and have a good time.
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